Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MycoTWIN (ENHANCING RESEARCH AND INNOVATION CAPACITY OF TUBITAK MAM FOOD INSTITUTE ON MANAGEMENT OF MYCOTOXIGENIC FUNGI AND MYCOTOXINS)
Okres sprawozdawczy: 2020-12-01 do 2022-02-28
Mycotoxins pose a major concern worldwide since they are harmful to both humans and animals and have a tremendous economic impact with significant implications for food and feed safety, food security, and international trade. They have a destructive effect on crop yield and negatively affect the quantity and quality of agricultural commodities. The EU-funded MycoTWIN project will bring together the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), the National Research Council of Italy and the University of Valencia of Spain. The goal is to strengthen effective and sustainable mycotoxin management for minimising contamination in crops by exchange of knowledge and new pre- and post-harvest measures.
MycoTWIN will support the entire value chain from planning of the cropping system to cultivation of crops, harvest, storage, transport, processing and consuming, all of which can be affected by mycotoxins. MycoTWIN multi-actor partnership approach will integrate the EU Commission food safety policy as well as relevant supranational guidelines (e.g. CODEX).
The project aims to significantly strengthen researches on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in TUBITAK by linking it with CNR and UV. MycoTWIN will enhance the scientific and technological capacity of the all three institutions in this specific field with a principal focus on TUBITAK by providing knowledge and experience transfers on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins between the işnstitutes. The project has been clustered in three operational areas: i) Integrated Information System; ii) Toxigenic Fungi and Mycotoxin Monitoring; iii) Prevention, Intervention and Remediation.
MycoTWIN will support the entire value chain from planning of the cropping system to cultivation of crops, harvest, storage, transport, processing and consuming, all of which can be affected by mycotoxins. MycoTWIN multi-actor partnership approach will integrate the EU Commission food safety policy as well as relevant supranational guidelines (e.g. CODEX).
The project aims to significantly strengthen researches on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in TUBITAK by linking it with CNR and UV. MycoTWIN will enhance the scientific and technological capacity of the all three institutions in this specific field with a principal focus on TUBITAK by providing knowledge and experience transfers on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins between the işnstitutes. The project has been clustered in three operational areas: i) Integrated Information System; ii) Toxigenic Fungi and Mycotoxin Monitoring; iii) Prevention, Intervention and Remediation.
MycoTWIN- Kick-off Meeting has been organized online with participation of MycoTWIN consortium members.
MycoTWIN website (www.mycotwin.eu) has been developed as an open platform to all stakeholders to be able to reach the result of MycoTWIN and to join the open MycoTWIN activities. Furthermore, the dissemination materials on MycoTWIN, to be used as the official communication material of the project, has been developed; namely: 1 leaflet, 1 brochure, 1 poster, 1 roll-up, 1 Newsletter on MycoTWIN in English. The dissemination materials is available for free download from the “media room” of project website. MycoTWIN social media accounts have also been set up: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin //mycotwin.
Following activities has been realised:
INFO-DAYs
1st MycoTWIN Info-Day on "From Farm to Table Osmaniye Peanut" was held in Osmaniye, Turkey where the solutions and suggestions of the problems in the agriculture, processing and marketing of peanuts were evaluated. The Info Day was carried out in cooperation with the “Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Oil Seed Research Institute”, TÜBİTAK MAM, Eastern Mediterranean Development Agency, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University and Osmaniye Commodity Exchange. The participant profile consisted of academics, bureaucrats, farmers, unions, public officials and students.
2nd MycoTWIN Info-Day on "Enhancing Aflatoxin Research Capacity in Hazelnut” was organized in Giresun, Turkey. At the Info Day, organized in cooperation with Giresun University, MycoTWIN project coordinator Dr. Hayrettin Özer gave information about the solutions of the "aflatoxin problem in hazelnuts" while conveying the project activities and outputs.
Moreover, large scale companies, SMEs and R&D centres (more than 120 bodies) were informed about MycoTWIN project and have opportunity to see the TUBITAK facilities specifically the processing facilities through MycoTWIN-TÜGİP (Turkish Food Innovation Platform) joint workshops and one-to-one meetings.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND WORKHOPs
A MycoKey-MycoTWIN joint conference, entitled “Integrated and innovative key actions for mycotoxin management in the food and feed chain”, was organized as hybrid (online and in presence) version in Bari (Italy). The conference hosted two MycoTWIN workshops on the two following topics:
1. MycoTWIN WS1 Molecular identification of mycotoxigenic fungi and advanced and rapid analysis techniques for mycotoxins;
2. MycoTWIN WS2 Prevention and control of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in the field, have been carried out.
A total of 175 participants has attended to these MycotWIN events. During the workshops, knowledge and experience transfers on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins were achieved by means of oral presentations and poster exhibitions. An entire room was devoted to poster presentation for dissemination and communication of new developments and the most recent outcomes in mycotoxin research among MycoTWIN partners and relevant experts from academia and stakeholders. Posters were uploaded online to be viewed also by on-line participants (https://mycotwinbari2021.mycokey.eu/).
MycoTWIN website (www.mycotwin.eu) has been developed as an open platform to all stakeholders to be able to reach the result of MycoTWIN and to join the open MycoTWIN activities. Furthermore, the dissemination materials on MycoTWIN, to be used as the official communication material of the project, has been developed; namely: 1 leaflet, 1 brochure, 1 poster, 1 roll-up, 1 Newsletter on MycoTWIN in English. The dissemination materials is available for free download from the “media room” of project website. MycoTWIN social media accounts have also been set up: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Linkedin //mycotwin.
Following activities has been realised:
INFO-DAYs
1st MycoTWIN Info-Day on "From Farm to Table Osmaniye Peanut" was held in Osmaniye, Turkey where the solutions and suggestions of the problems in the agriculture, processing and marketing of peanuts were evaluated. The Info Day was carried out in cooperation with the “Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Oil Seed Research Institute”, TÜBİTAK MAM, Eastern Mediterranean Development Agency, Osmaniye Korkut Ata University and Osmaniye Commodity Exchange. The participant profile consisted of academics, bureaucrats, farmers, unions, public officials and students.
2nd MycoTWIN Info-Day on "Enhancing Aflatoxin Research Capacity in Hazelnut” was organized in Giresun, Turkey. At the Info Day, organized in cooperation with Giresun University, MycoTWIN project coordinator Dr. Hayrettin Özer gave information about the solutions of the "aflatoxin problem in hazelnuts" while conveying the project activities and outputs.
Moreover, large scale companies, SMEs and R&D centres (more than 120 bodies) were informed about MycoTWIN project and have opportunity to see the TUBITAK facilities specifically the processing facilities through MycoTWIN-TÜGİP (Turkish Food Innovation Platform) joint workshops and one-to-one meetings.
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE AND WORKHOPs
A MycoKey-MycoTWIN joint conference, entitled “Integrated and innovative key actions for mycotoxin management in the food and feed chain”, was organized as hybrid (online and in presence) version in Bari (Italy). The conference hosted two MycoTWIN workshops on the two following topics:
1. MycoTWIN WS1 Molecular identification of mycotoxigenic fungi and advanced and rapid analysis techniques for mycotoxins;
2. MycoTWIN WS2 Prevention and control of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins in the field, have been carried out.
A total of 175 participants has attended to these MycotWIN events. During the workshops, knowledge and experience transfers on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins were achieved by means of oral presentations and poster exhibitions. An entire room was devoted to poster presentation for dissemination and communication of new developments and the most recent outcomes in mycotoxin research among MycoTWIN partners and relevant experts from academia and stakeholders. Posters were uploaded online to be viewed also by on-line participants (https://mycotwinbari2021.mycokey.eu/).
TUBITAK has submitted 4 (four) national projects and started to coordinate 4 (four) national projects in the field of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins within the first 15 monts of the project.
6 oral and 19 poster presentations on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins have been presented by MycoTWIN team within different MycoTWIN and/or external scientific events.
364 representatives (34 of them are young researchers) from mycotoxin related private companies, ministrial organisations, farmers, universities, students and decision makers were participated to MycoTWIN activities in Turkey and European countries.
MycoTWIN website (www.mycotwin.eu) was visited by 1309 users from 47 countries. The MycoTWIN posts through its social media accounts have been reviewed by more than 4000 peoples from academia, public, and private companies including SMEs.
By the end of the project; it is expected to develop rapid test kit and reference material for mycotoxin analysis as model products and aiming to publish at least 6 scientific paper on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins through MycoTWIN activities. Moreover it is expected to reach more than 1000 mycotoxin related professionals/students/researchers to strentghen their awareness on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins through MycoTWIN activities including MycoTWIN platform, round table meetings, seminars, workshops, open-days, short-term on-site trainings, technical visits and info-days. MycoTWIN consortium, by enlarging the consortium with relevant stakeholders, is aiming to carry out new EU or National projects related with mycotoxins as a continuation of MycoTWIN which will provide a sustainable awareness on worldwide mycotoxin problems of different agro-food products.
6 oral and 19 poster presentations on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins have been presented by MycoTWIN team within different MycoTWIN and/or external scientific events.
364 representatives (34 of them are young researchers) from mycotoxin related private companies, ministrial organisations, farmers, universities, students and decision makers were participated to MycoTWIN activities in Turkey and European countries.
MycoTWIN website (www.mycotwin.eu) was visited by 1309 users from 47 countries. The MycoTWIN posts through its social media accounts have been reviewed by more than 4000 peoples from academia, public, and private companies including SMEs.
By the end of the project; it is expected to develop rapid test kit and reference material for mycotoxin analysis as model products and aiming to publish at least 6 scientific paper on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins through MycoTWIN activities. Moreover it is expected to reach more than 1000 mycotoxin related professionals/students/researchers to strentghen their awareness on mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins through MycoTWIN activities including MycoTWIN platform, round table meetings, seminars, workshops, open-days, short-term on-site trainings, technical visits and info-days. MycoTWIN consortium, by enlarging the consortium with relevant stakeholders, is aiming to carry out new EU or National projects related with mycotoxins as a continuation of MycoTWIN which will provide a sustainable awareness on worldwide mycotoxin problems of different agro-food products.